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Man in coma after beating outside New Smyrna Beach bar

Frank 'Beau' Svancar IV, 28.

Photo provided by family

MARK I. JOHNSONSTAFF WRITER

Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 10:08 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 5:00 p.m.

A New Smyrna Beach man remained unconscious and in critical condition Monday in Halifax Health Medical Center's intensive care unit with a head wound suffered during an attack over the weekend outside a New Smyrna Beach bar, police said.

However, that attack outside the Flagler Avenue nightclub was more of a bushwhack, according to eyewitness Jinger Ownby, 28, of New Smyrna Beach.

“It broke out right in front of us,” Ownby said Monday afternoon.

Ownby said she was leaving the Flagler Tavern, 414 Flagler Ave., around 2 a.m. Sunday when she saw Frank “Beau” Svancar IV, 28, get “jumped by seven or eight black people.”

Ownby said she was walking in the nightclub's parking lot when for no apparent reason the group of two females and five or six males, turned on Svancar, who she believed was extremely intoxicated. Everyone involved was apparently leaving the bar because it was closing time, she said.

She said there were no words exchanged that she heard, just dead silence then the suspects shoved Svancar and hit him.

“(Svancar) never took a swing. He never hit back,” she said. “It was senseless.

The police incident report of the attack, echoed Ownby's account almost verbatim.

While Svancar's parents are hopeful for his full recovery, they too are at a loss as to why something like this happened to their son.

Greg Gabringer, general manager of Flagler Tavern said by telephone Monday afternoon he was still gathering information about what happened and was cooperating with the police investigation, but did not feel at liberty to comment.

Ownby said she was taken aback by the sudden, vicious attack.

“He was hit three times by three separate people,” Ownby said of the battery on Svancar. “The first hit and second hit, he stayed standing. The third hit knocked him to the ground.”

That is when she decided to go to Svancar's aid.

“There was blood all over the place,” she said. “There was blood coming out of his ears and nose. Every time he breathed he was spraying blood.”

Ownby said she put her jacket under the unconscious Svancar's head and pleaded for help, but everyone ignored her.

“I could not believe how insensitive everybody was,” she said.

Ownby's account repeats what Frank I. Svancar of Oviedo, Svancar's father, heard about what happened to his son.

The elder Svancar said hospital officials told him “Beau's” only injury was to his head.

“He did not fight,” the victim's father said. “He had no defensive wounds on his hands.”

Svancar's mother said doctors seem to be encouraged about her son's condition, but he is in pretty bad shape.

“He has a skull fracture and smashed bones in his face,” she said. Doctors have kept her son in a medically induced coma, which she said they intended to start bringing him out of Monday.

“Everything seems to be moving,” Cheryl Svancar said. “There is no apparent paralysis. He is young and really strong and healthy.”

Family members are as bewildered as police and Ownby as to why Svancar was attacked.

Svancar's father said he was told his son was leaving the bar and had just stepped outside when someone hit him with something.

“The guy with him said there had been no trouble with anyone,” the senior Frank Svancar said. “He had just gone outside to get his car.”

Svancar's father said his son recently moved to New Smyrna Beach from Oviedo to be closer to the ocean.

“He was a surfer,” he said, adding his son and a friend were renting a house together.

The elder Svancar said his son was a welder who also fixed surfboards and mountain bikes to make money.

He said the Flagler Tavern was a regular hangout for Svancar and his friends because it has a reputation as a place where there is normally not any trouble.

Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to contact Investigator Nicki Diffin. She can be reached at 386-424-2248, New Smyrna Beach police investigation division Sgt. Eugene Griffith said.

<p>A New Smyrna Beach man remained unconscious and in critical condition Monday in Halifax Health Medical Center's intensive care unit with a head wound suffered during an attack over the weekend outside a New Smyrna Beach bar, police said. </p><p> However, that attack outside the Flagler Avenue nightclub was more of a bushwhack, according to eyewitness Jinger Ownby, 28, of New Smyrna Beach. </p><p> “It broke out right in front of us,” Ownby said Monday afternoon. </p><p> Ownby said she was leaving the Flagler Tavern, 414 Flagler Ave., around 2 a.m. Sunday when she saw Frank “Beau” Svancar IV, 28, get “jumped by seven or eight black people.” </p><p> Ownby said she was walking in the nightclub's parking lot when for no apparent reason the group of two females and five or six males, turned on Svancar, who she believed was extremely intoxicated. Everyone involved was apparently leaving the bar because it was closing time, she said. </p><p> She said there were no words exchanged that she heard, just dead silence then the suspects shoved Svancar and hit him.</p><p> “(Svancar) never took a swing. He never hit back,” she said. “It was senseless. </p><p> The police incident report of the attack, echoed Ownby's account almost verbatim. </p><p> While Svancar's parents are hopeful for his full recovery, they too are at a loss as to why something like this happened to their son. </p><p> Greg Gabringer, general manager of Flagler Tavern said by telephone Monday afternoon he was still gathering information about what happened and was cooperating with the police investigation, but did not feel at liberty to comment. </p><p> Ownby said she was taken aback by the sudden, vicious attack. </p><p> “He was hit three times by three separate people,” Ownby said of the battery on Svancar. “The first hit and second hit, he stayed standing. The third hit knocked him to the ground.” </p><p> That is when she decided to go to Svancar's aid. </p><p> “There was blood all over the place,” she said. “There was blood coming out of his ears and nose. Every time he breathed he was spraying blood.” </p><p> Ownby said she put her jacket under the unconscious Svancar's head and pleaded for help, but everyone ignored her. </p><p> “I could not believe how insensitive everybody was,” she said. </p><p> Ownby's account repeats what Frank I. Svancar of Oviedo, Svancar's father, heard about what happened to his son. </p><p> The elder Svancar said hospital officials told him “Beau's” only injury was to his head. </p><p> “He did not fight,” the victim's father said. “He had no defensive wounds on his hands.”</p><p> Svancar's mother said doctors seem to be encouraged about her son's condition, but he is in pretty bad shape. </p><p> “He has a skull fracture and smashed bones in his face,” she said. Doctors have kept her son in a medically induced coma, which she said they intended to start bringing him out of Monday. </p><p> “Everything seems to be moving,” Cheryl Svancar said. “There is no apparent paralysis. He is young and really strong and healthy.” </p><p> Family members are as bewildered as police and Ownby as to why Svancar was attacked. </p><p> Svancar's father said he was told his son was leaving the bar and had just stepped outside when someone hit him with something. </p><p> “The guy with him said there had been no trouble with anyone,” the senior Frank Svancar said. “He had just gone outside to get his car.” </p><p> Svancar's father said his son recently moved to New Smyrna Beach from Oviedo to be closer to the ocean. </p><p> “He was a surfer,” he said, adding his son and a friend were renting a house together. </p><p> The elder Svancar said his son was a welder who also fixed surfboards and mountain bikes to make money. </p><p> He said the Flagler Tavern was a regular hangout for Svancar and his friends because it has a reputation as a place where there is normally not any trouble. </p><p> Anyone with any information about the attack is asked to contact Investigator Nicki Diffin. She can be reached at 386-424-2248, New Smyrna Beach police investigation division Sgt. Eugene Griffith said.</p>